Basement finishing in Lake Grove, NY

Split-levels and high ranches in Lake Grove

Lake Grove is an incorporated village in the Town of Brookhaven, and a lot of its homes are split-levels and high ranches. In both, the lowest level is usually a den next to the garage, with a laundry area and sometimes a half bath. It sits partly below ground, so it’s cooler and a bit damper than the rest of the house, but it has windows and a normal ceiling height. That makes it one of the easiest spaces in the house to turn into a real room.

Taking it back to the studs

Many of these lower levels were finished long ago with paneling, a drop ceiling and carpet or tile on the slab. We usually take that out first. It lets us see the framing, check for signs of water, and fix any walls that aren’t straight. Then we hang new sheetrock, tape and finish it smooth, and put in a new ceiling. A drop ceiling makes sense if there are pipes or shutoffs overhead. Otherwise, a sheetrock ceiling gives a cleaner look.

Tying the levels together

The thing that makes a split-level feel finished is continuity. If the lower level has different flooring, different trim and different doors than the rest of the house, it never feels like part of the home. We carry the same vinyl plank flooring down the stairs and through the lower level, with matching nosings on each step. We match the trim and door style too, so going down the stairs feels like walking into another room, not into a basement.

The basement below the lower level

Some split-levels have a true basement or a crawl space under part of the house. These can be low and dark, with the mechanicals in the middle. We’ll measure the height, look for dampness, and tell you plainly whether it’s worth finishing or better kept as dry storage with good shelving and lighting.

The laundry and the garage door

The lower level in these houses often doubles as the way in from the garage. That door sees wet shoes, groceries and sports bags every day. We can frame a small mudroom area with hooks and a bench, and use a floor that shrugs off water and sand. The laundry corner gets the same thought: good light, a shelf above the machines, and access to the shutoffs behind them. It turns the busiest part of the lower level into something that works.

How it works

Lake Grove is one of our home-base towns, and our crew is here every week. You get a written, itemized price with a start date and how long the job will take before we start. We clean up daily and finish with a walk-through. For more, see our main basement finishing page or home renovations in Lake Grove.